I've been an Animal Crossing fan for 14 years, but I won't be grabbing the Switch 2 Edition

Animal Crossing is yet again the talk of the town (or should I say island) as the anticipated New Horizons Version 3.0 content update has dropped alongside a newly enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game. Many of you who didn't experience the treasures of New Horizons the first time around might be eager to grab the game via its new shiny red Switch 2 boxed copy, but that's not the cheapest way to go.

The original Switch version is currently $44.99 at Woot, which is already monumentally cheaper than the Switch 2 Edition with its $64.99 MSRP. If you grab the older physical copy at Amazon's Woot, and the Switch 2 Upgrade Pack separately for $4.99 (Amazon) or via the eShop, you can save $15 instead.

Sure, it means one less box on your Switch 2 game shelf, but the new version of the game is just a boxed copy of the original anyway. Personally, I'd rather have those extra bells to put towards my real-life mortgage or a treat or two, even if it's just a small $15 saving.

Animal Crossing New Horizons | $59.99 $44.99 at Woot
Save $15 - The Switch 2 Edition of New Horizons has landed, but if you want to save some cash, you're better off grabbing the original copy instead. This copy of the game is not only $15 off its $59.99 MSRP, but grabbing it and the Switch 2 Upgrade Pack online or via the handheld eShop will save you a further $15 off compared to grabbing the new boxed, Switch 2 Edition of the game.

UK: £36.99 at Amazon

View Deal

I was fortunate enough to still have my physical copy of New Horizons, and so besides the tedium of trying to ensure the data for my island was well intact, all I needed to do was grab the Upgrade Pack via the handheld's eShop (which is priced at £.4.19 here in the UK) and the Switch 2 Edition was ready to go.

If you already own the game, you can do exactly the same thing. Grabbing the $4.99 / £4.19 upgrade pack will still grant you the enhanced 4K resolution for the game, the new mouse controls to take advantage of while decorating, access to the new Megaphone item, GameChat support, and the new multiplayer which supports up to 12 players at a time, all without having to fork out the cash for an extra copy. However, for those new to New Horizons, you will need a copy of the base game too.

If you aren't entirely comfortable grabbing a physical copy from Amazon's Woot, Animal Crossing New Horizons on the original Switch is also just $55.89 at Amazon right now. Picking up both it and the upgrade pack will still only cost you $60.88, which isn't monumentally cheaper than the boxed Switch 2 copy, but it's better than nothing.

Some of you may be desperate to add a Switch 2 box to your shelf so I understand if your heart is set on opting for the Switch 2 branded copy instead - even if the small print on the box states that you're still getting an original Switch cart with the upgrade pack boxed inside. I'm a physical collector, and I've bought empty boxes for DLC in the past just to see it represented in my collection, so I get it.

But for everyone else who is trying to enjoy the new Nintendo console generation by saving as much as possible, grabbing an original copy from Woot or Amazon is a great way to do just that. Just remember, you will need an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership if you want that Happy Home Paradise DLC too (or you can grab it separately via the eShop store for $24.99.)

• View all Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 gaming deals at Woot
• View all Nintendo Switch game deals at Amazon

I've also rounded up the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, which include some of the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers and the best Nintendo Switch headsets that you can pair with your future New Horizons adventures.